You're My Everything
by TheNerdOverThere
Summary: This is a Romanogers fanfic. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Romanogers A/U. In this fanfic, the events of _Winter Soldier _haven't taken place.**

_**Chapter 1**_

The Avengers plus Pepper were eating dinner in Stark Tower together.

"Wow guys, I'm impressed," Natasha said to Tony and Clint. "You managed to cook dinner without burning us all to a crisp."

"It may or may not be ready-made lasagne," said Clint in an audible whisper to Tony. They sniggered like kids trying not to be caught by their teacher, at least until Tony started choking on a piece of said lasagne.

"So, who's cooking tomorrow?" asked Pepper, thumping Tony's back to dislodge the food from his throat. "What about you, Thor?"

"No way," said Clint. "Those bilgesnipe fillets were repeating on me for a week."

"I'll do it," Steve volunteered.

"Well, how about you, Natasha?" said Pepper. "You haven't cooked in a while."

"Sure," Natasha replied. Pepper was constantly trying to set her up with Steve, which would be annoying if she didn't want to go out with him, which she did. And, although Natasha didn't know it, Steve felt the same way towards her. But she thought that she was being stupid. She thought that he still had feelings for Sharon, his ex. But the truth was that, when he was going out with Sharon, Steve hadn't felt anything special, nothing like when Natasha was around. Therefore no lingering feelings for Sharon. But Natasha didn't know this, so she kept a lid on her emotions. Now they were paired together for cooking dinner for the first time since he and Sharon had broken up. This was going to be difficult, she thought. She had to distance herself from him.

Next evening, Steve was peeling potatoes and she was chopping carrots. Steve's attempts at conversation were brushed off. Natasha bit the inside of her cheeks to prevent herself from smiling at the jokes he told. She kept her eyes cold, her expression stony. Steve was confused, hurt.

When dinner was served, she sat as far as possible from Steve. She ate silently, and excused herself. She left the tower and drove off. She didn't have a destination, she was just trying to avoid Steve. Eventually she had to return, and he was waiting in the hall outside her floor.

"Natasha," he began.

"Fuck off," she snapped, pushing past him, slamming the door in his face.

Steve sat on the couch in Tony and Pepper's living room, between Bruce and Thor.

"Hey, uh, guys," he said. "What's up with Natasha?"

"Why?" asked Bruce. "What happened?"

"Well, all day she's been ignoring me, and just now I tried to talk to her and she told me to fuck off."

Everyone turned to face Clint and Pepper, who were each very close to Natasha.

"I dunno," said Clint. "She didn't say anything to me about it."

Pepper shrugged her shoulders.

"I can't think of anything I might've said or done to make her act like this," said Steve, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Pepper, would you talk to her?"

"Sure thing," said Pepper, rising from her seat. She headed off to Natasha's floor.

**Sorry if the chapters are short, it's just that I typed this out on my phone first, then on the computer and it looked like a lot more on my phone.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I just want to thank everyone for the follows and favourites. Please review, and all that jazz. Anyway…**

_**Chapter 2**_

Natasha was texting Jane when there was a knock on the door.

"Just leave me alone, Rogers!" she yelled.

"It's Pepper!"

"Oh, okay, sorry. Come on in!"

Pepper entered and plopped herself down next to Natasha. "Hey, Tasha."

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," muttered Natasha.

"Oh, really?" said Pepper, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You've been talking to Steve, haven't you?" sighed Natasha.

"Maybe…" said the blonde woman next to her. "Spill."

So Natasha proceeded to explain.

Pepper contemplated the situation for a while when Natasha finished talking. She then dished out advice.

"Well, I mean, Steve doesn't seem that hung up on Sharon. I never thought they were good together anyways, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your friend."

"Yeah, I suppose…" said Natasha doubtfully.

"Look, I know it seems like the worst option in the world right now, but I think you need to tell Steve how you feel," said Pepper.

"No!" said Natasha. "There is no way in hell I'm doing that!"

"I just have this feeling that he's completely over Sharon. And you guys would be really cute together."

Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose with her eyes squeezed shut.

"Fine," she said, after a long pause. "I'll tell him. But you'd better be right about this."

"Oh, Natty darling, you know I'm always right," said Pepper, grinning.

Natasha hated this. She felt like a little lovesick schoolgirl, chasing after Steve like this. But she knew now that, contrary to her previous beliefs, love wasn't just for children. Anyone could love.

Steve was in the kitchen getting a snack. When he saw Natasha approaching, he felt jittery, like his insides were attempting to fly.

"Hey, Steve."

"Oh, uh, hey, Natasha."

"I'm so sorry about earlier."

"No, it's okay."

Natasha took a deep breath. "Look, I have to tell you something."

"Go ahead," said Steve, leaning back against the counter.

"I, um, well, you see, I-"

Then Steve's phone rang. "Sorry, I'd better take this, it's from S.H.I.E.L.D."

When he hung up, Steve turned back to Natasha. "I'm really sorry but I've got to go on a mission. Like, right now. It's urgent."

Natasha nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Tell me when I get back, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Her voice wobbled slightly.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for the follows & favourites. Please review!**

_**Chapter 3**_

Next day, Steve still wasn't back. He didn't return the day after that, nor the day after that. Natasha grew more and more worried.

"I'm sure he's fine," Pepper reassured her for the millionth time.

Natasha bit her nails.

"Thanks Pepper," she said, even though she didn't feel any better, but Pepper was making an effort. Natasha chewed on her nails until she felt the sting in her fingertips. Blood seeped out from beneath her nail-beds. What had happened to Steve? Where was he? She yearned for his company, she ached to see his radiant smile again.

Later that evening, Pepper burst into Natasha's living room.

"Steve's back," she panted, breathlessly.

Natasha leapt out of her seat, dropping her book. She hurried down the stairs, taking them two at a time, following the sounds of chatter. She sprinted down halls and through doorways, until finally, she found him. She forgot herself, and ran to him. She wrapped him in an embrace, felt his steady, muscular body pressed against hers, his strong arms encasing her.

"Holy shit, Rogers!" she laughed, pulling away. "I was so worried! Where have you been?"

"Just a long mission," he said. "I'm fine."

"I'd like to know about this sudden chemistry between you two," Tony piped up.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Stark," said Natasha, with a withering look.

"Sit down, Steve," said Pepper, kindly, gesturing to a chair.

"No thanks, Pepper," said Steve. "Could I just talk to Natasha, please?"

"Yeah, sure," said Natasha, and the pair strode off down the hall. Well, the pair plus another Avenger.

"Stark, I swear, I will pitch you off this tower!"

"Okay, Red," said Tony, sauntering off.

They were in Steve's living room.

"What is it?" asked Natasha.

Steve answered with another question. "What were you going to tell me before I left?"

"Oh, yeah, that. Well, I just wanted to say that, um…"

"Yeah?" Steve pressed in a gentle tone.

"I… Well, I…"

She couldn't finish, because Steve had crashed his lips against hers.

He pulled away. "Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking," he said, apologetically.

"No, really, this makes it so much easier for me," he laughed, pulling his lips back onto hers. She reached up and ruffled his sandy hair, and he ran his hand through her vivid red locks.

"I missed you so fucking much," Natasha told him.

"I missed you too, Nat."

She put her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and she felt safe. He tucked a strand of fiery hair behind her ear. Their lips met again.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

They returned to the others. Tony was the first to notice that they were holding hands.

"I knew it!" he said, pointing at their intertwined fingers and leaping out of his seat.

"Calm down," said Pepper to Tony, much like a mother to a small child. Tony sat back down, a wild, crazed expression plastered across his face.

Just then, Thor came in.

"The bilgesnipe is ready for consumption!" he boomed.

Clint groaned.

"Who let Thor cook?" he whined. "That's it, I'm getting shawarma."

He grabbed his keys, checked his pocket for his wallet and left for the shawarma joint downtown.

"I cannot understand why Clint dislikes boiled bilgesnipe," said Thor, utterly bewildered. "It is a special treat, is it not, that I bring it back from Asgard?"

The others picked at the rubbery meat. Pepper, who was dieting, contemplated the fat content of one bilgesnipe fillet. Thor, however, devoured both his own meal and the one he had prepared for Clint. They all stared as he gorged himself.

"How can you possibly eat that much?" Pepper asked with a horrified expression.

"Why would I not be capable of consuming this amount, Lady Pepper?" Thor countered, puzzled.

"No reason," said Pepper, vaguely.

Steve poured himself more water. Next to him, Natasha sipped her cream soda from the can. Beneath the table, their hands met.

After dinner, they all slumped in the armchairs and couches on Tony and Pepper's floor. Everyone but Thor was feeling sick. Steve and Natasha sat next to each other. Steve traced circles on the back of Natasha's hand, which she found very soothing. She found her eyes closing.

"I love you, Nat," Steve said, quietly.

She drifted off just as he was forming her name. She was later relieved of this, because she didn't know if you could have said it back. It wasn't that she didn't love him, because she did, really and truly. She just wasn't ready. It wasn't in her nature to love so easily, so she was cautious about her every move. She couldn't trust herself to do the right thing for them both. Not yet.

Morning came. Natasha had a mission, so she left at dawn. Much later that same morning, Steve lounged on the couch on his floor eating buttery toast and watching TV. There was a knock on the door.

"Come on ahead in!"

Clint entered the room holding a bowl of cereal. He sat next to Steve and set his bowl on the coffee table.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey, Clint," said Steve.

"Everyone's out, I was looking for some company," said Clint, explaining his presence. There was a long pause.

"So, are you and Nat going out, or what?" Clint asked, straight out, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I think so," Steve replied.

"Well, just a heads-up for you, don't treat her like she's made of glass, she hates that."

"Don't worry, I won't. I know her well enough not to."

"Good, good…" Clint trailed off. He sat there for a while, fixated on the television, forgetting about his cereal.

"Clint, your cereal's gone soggy."

"Shit!" exclaimed the archer. "I hate when that happens!"

Steve chortled. Clint rose and tipped the contents of the bowl into the bin.

"Toast it is, then," he said, heading to the kitchen.

A little while later, Steve could hear Clint yelling, "Oh for fuck's sake, I've burnt the fucking toast!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Several days later, Natasha needed a ride to The Sprig, the restaurant where she was meeting Darcy for lunch. She was counting out money for a taxi when Steve came in wearing his suit.

"Do you want to hitch a ride with me?" he offered.

Tony walked past and nudged him. "Yeah, a ride," he joked.

"Shut up," mumbled Steve, elbowing Tony. He turned back to Natasha. "I'm headed that direction anyways for a mission."

"Yeah, sure," said Natasha gratefully. She put the money back into her purse and followed Steve to his motorcycle.

Several minutes later, she was sitting behind him, her arms wrapped around him, her fingers clenching the supple material of his suit.

They were soon roaring down the street. Natasha felt the wind on her face. She could feel her hair knotting. Steve's shield was secure on his back, and she traced the dents in the surface. She craned her neck to plant a soft kiss on his.

Steve dropped her off at The Sprig.

"Thanks for the ride," said Natasha.

"No problem," he said. He kissed her goodbye and sped off.

Natasha entered the restaurant. She quickly scanned the area for Darcy. She saw her waving from a table by the window and went over to her. She took a seat opposite her friend.

"Hey," she said nonchalantly.

"Natty!" said Darcy, excitably. "How've you been?"

"Good, yeah, what about you?"

"Same."

Then Darcy got down to business.

"So," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. "You and Steve."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Yes, we are going out," she said, "and, no, don't make a big deal about it."

"Oh, come on! You guys are totally adorable!"

Natasha swiftly changed the subject. "You know what? Let's order first!"

They flicked through the menus and a waiter soon came. They ordered, and as soon as the waiter had taken the menus and left, Darcy said, "Okay, when were you going to tell me you were dating Steve?"

"Well, we've only been together for a few days."

"A few days?" said Darcy, in mock horror. "You know you should text me within the first minute of a new relationship!"

"Actually, to tell you the truth, I'm kind of surprised Pepper didn't tell you," said Natasha.

"What makes you think she didn't?"

"But…"

"She told me everything she knew. Well, me and Jane. But I was dying to hear it from you, darling!"

"What did she tell you?"

"Well, she said you got together pretty much as soon as Steve came back from a really long mission, which is really sweet." Natasha's cheeks tinged pink. "And she said you're like always together." This was true. Natasha and Steve did spend most of their free time together.

"And?" Natasha pressed.

"That's pretty much it," said Darcy. "She said you haven't really talked about it."

They went on, Darcy demanding answers, Natasha giving them when possible. Their food arrived and they thanked their waiter.

"Oh my gosh, look at this presentation!" squealed Darcy. Natasha raised an eyebrow.

Darcy whipped out her phone. "I have to put this on Instagram!" She took a picture of her meal and began tapping furiously. "Hmm, which filter… Hey Nat, what's your Instagram name? I need to tag you."

Natasha sighed. Jane and Darcy had made her an account ages ago, but she never used it.

"Oh, never mind, I've got it," said Darcy. Natasha rolled her eyes. Darcy mumbled to herself, "Hashtag yum, hashtag tasty, and… Upload!" She lifted her fork. "Bon appetite, Nat." They dug in.

Natasha took a cab home. She took the elevator to her floor and wriggled into a t-shirt and an old pair of sweatpants. She curled up in an armchair reading a book. Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Steve: on my way home c u soon xxx

Natasha smiled to herself. He was finally texting like a normal person. She sent him a reply: gr8 c u then xxx

Let's see if he can figure out "gr8", Natasha thought, grinning.

Meanwhile, in the back of the cab, Captain America sounded out first "g-r" and then "eight".

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel.**

**Please review/PM, favourite, follow, all that jazz. Thanks for putting up with me this far, guys! 5****th**** chapter, whoop, whoop! More to come, though. You're all great, and to the guest that reviewed on Chapter 2 expressing their feelings about how close Nat was to telling Steve she loved him, I can't thank you enough. That review definitely boosted my confidence for writing this, and I was so glad that you were connecting with the characters. (Yes, I know I do not own the characters, but, still…)**

**I re-posted Chapter 1 by mistake instead of this so here it is!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Time jump less than a year.**

_**Chapter 6**_

It was the morning of Natasha's birthday. Steve woke up early to buy her a large blueberry muffin from the bakery a few blocks away. He wrote a message on the paper bag:

_Happy Birthday Nat_

_Love from Steve xx_

He slipped into her living room and left the muffin on her coffee table. He returned to his own floor. He rummaged under his bed until he grasped the handles of a gift bag. In it was his present to Natasha and a card. On the front of the card Steve had drawn in black ink. His drawing depicted a couple sitting on a park bench with their arms around each other. The couple bore a remarkable resemblance to Steve and Nat. Steve waited patiently for Natasha to wake up.

Natasha's eyes snapped open, such was the brightness of the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. She squinted and looked around. She dragged herself out of her bed, got dressed and exited her bedroom. The living room was equally bright, and when her eyes adjusted, she could see a brown paper bag on her coffee table. She picked it up curiously and read the message. She smiled. Steve was so sweet. She reached inside and extracted a plump blueberry muffin. She was just beginning to eat it when the door burst open. Tony and Clint paraded in, yelling birthday at the top of their lungs. Natasha rolled her eyes and continued eating.

When the idiotic duo left, there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come on in!"

Steve entered the room, carrying a bag.

"Hey, Nat," he said. "Happy birthday!"

Natasha smiled broadly at him. Being around Steve usually improved her mood. "Thanks. The muffin was great."

Steve found himself grinning uncontrollably. Natasha patted the space on the couch next to her and he sat. He handed her the gift bag.

"Something else, too," he said. Nat peered into the bag and politely opened the card first. She gaped at the beautiful illustration.

"Steve…" she said, in awe of his talent.

She placed it standing upright on her coffee table. She then took out the present. It was a large wooden box.

"Go on," said Steve, "Open it."

She opened it slowly. Inside was an array of gleaming pistols and a small knife. The knife's blade glinted in the sunlight. She threw her arms around Steve. He wrapped his own around her small, thin figure. Neither wanted to pull away, and soon their lips met, crashing over each other.

"I love you," mumbled Steve.

Just then, Natasha's thoughts and emotions became tangled in a mess. She didn't know whether or not to say it back. She was at war with herself. And then she said it.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

Upon hearing this, Steve could feel a warmth spreading through him. He hadn't been expecting Nat to say it back. He pressed harder, felt her pushing back. Neither of them heard Pepper come in.

Pepper cleared her throat, and the couple started, leaping from their seats.

"Um, I made breakfast for you, Natty," she said, awkwardly. "You know, as a birthday treat."

"Thanks, Pepper," Natasha said gratefully.

"Pancakes," Pepper muttered. "I should go, sorry."

"No, no, I'm coming!" said Natasha, following her friend to the kitchen with Steve in tow. "Do you really think I'm going to let a batch of homemade pancakes slip out of my grasp?"

Pepper laughed. "Well, sorry for walking in on you."

"It's fine!" said Natasha hurriedly.

"Don't worry about it!" Steve said at the same time.

A few minutes later, they were sitting around the table in the large dining room, Pepper with a bowl of Special K, Natasha with her pancakes and Steve with a helping of oatmeal. Pepper had turned down Natasha's offer of a pancake because of her diet, and Steve, being the gentleman he was, refused to take any. They talked and joked, sipping on coffee. Natasha's phone buzzed repeatedly with birthday messages.

Thor entered the room.

"Lady Natasha!" he boomed. "If I am not mistaken, today is the anniversary of thy birth!"

"Yes, Thor, it is," said Nat.

"Well, how do you Midgardians phrase it? A cheerful birth anniversary to thee, Lady Natasha!"

"Not quite," said Pepper.

"Then I must apologise for my error, Lady Pepper!" he said boisterously. And with that, he wandered off to the kitchen to fest on his precious pop-tarts.


	7. Chapter 7

**It is still Natasha's birthday.**

_**Chapter 7**_

That evening, Natasha sat on her bed using the new hair straighteners that Pepper had given her for her birthday. Steve was insisting on taking her to dinner, and so she laid out a simple black dress which flattered her figure. After applying her makeup, Natasha slipped into the garment, fastened it and slid her feet into her black high-heels. On her wrist she wore a silver bracelet.

When she was quite sure she was ready, Natasha descended to the bottom floor of the tower, which was where she and Steve had arranged to meet.

He was there, waiting for her patiently, wearing a white shirt, a black tie and dress pants of the same colour. When he saw Natasha striding towards him, he smiled broadly.

"Nat, you look beautiful," he said, in awe.

"You don't look too shabby either, soldier," she said playfully, smirking as she bumped him with her hip.

Steve looked at the ground bashfully, still grinning.

They hailed a taxi to take them to the restaurant. A friendly waitress showed them to their table, which was at the back. It was a cosy space with crimson walls, and in a small, slender glass vase was a single red rose.

They sat, facing each other. They thanked the waitress, who then left to fetch their menus.

"Steve, thank you so much," Natasha said, gesturing at their surroundings.

"Hey," he said, "don't worry about it." He paused, then added, jokingly, "After all, you are the birthday girl!" Natasha laughed a little.

The waitress returned with their menus. Once again they thanked her, and she departed.

They voiced their opinions as they flicked through the menus.

"The steak looks good."

"Yeah. I think I might get the pasta, though."

"Which one?"

"Oh, see that one, there…"

Natasha tried to pronounce the name of the Italian dish and failed miserably. Steve chuckled at her efforts, though he proved no better himself.

They ordered and the menus were whisked away by the waitress. All of a sudden, a smile crept across Steve's handsome face.

"What is it?" Natasha asked him curiously. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, no, I was just thinking," he said, "Of how lucky I am to be in love with you."

"Ugh, Steve!" said Natasha, laughing. "You're so corny!"

He just smiled a little more.

Natasha spoke again, this time softly, gently. "Don't worry," she said. "I love you back."

They leaned across the table to share a kiss.

They travelled home in a taxi. Natasha found a bottle of wine and some chips and dip. They watched a film together in Natasha's living room, tangled in a heap of limbs on the couch, wrapped in a thick woollen blanket. Steve ran his hand through Natasha's hair, carefully untangling any knots. He planted small kisses on her forehead.

The movie ended and they stayed like that, each of them cocooned in the other. Then, before either of them could fall asleep, Natasha removed herself from Steve's arms, took his hand and led him into her room, shutting the door behind her…

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Marvel. Trust me, if I did own them, there would be at least one Black Widow movie by now, and it would, of course, contain Romanogers. Maybe I should save up, like, a **_**lot **_**and buy Marvel… Watch out, Disney! *Evil laughter***

**Sorry this is so awfully short. I feel terrible! Next chapter is a whole emotion-commotion, hopefully it will cause some devastation (ugh, I'm so evil). Really looking forward to posting it! Please review, favourite, follow, PM, etc… Farewell!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Time jump several months.**

_**Chapter 8**_

Natasha was lazing on the couch, her hand in her belly. The baby was kicking.

"Steve?" she called.

"Yeah?" Steve entered the living room. He was busy putting away his belongings, as he was moving into Natasha's floor. He had refused to let Natasha help, because of her pregnancy. "You okay?"

"C'mere," she said.

He walked over to her, a confused expression on his face. When he reached Nat, she seized his hand in hers, resting it on her swollen belly.

"The baby was kicking," she said.

Steve waited, and suddenly he felt a tiny push against his palm. He beamed at Natasha.

They were both awaiting the birth of their son with anticipation. Despite knowing the baby's gender, Natasha was solidly refusing to have a baby shower, much to Pepper's disappointment. It really wasn't Natasha's kind of thing.

They made out a list of boys' names, but it was difficult to reach a decision.

"Evan?"

"No. What about Peter?"

"No, I trained with a girl named Petra, and I had to kill her to make the cut. It would remind me too much of her."

In the end it was between Jack and David, but they agreed to leave the decision until the baby was born. There were no clear favourites yet.

While Steve was on missions, Pepper took Nat shopping for baby things. Bibs, blankets, pushchairs and pacifiers were only some examples of the apparatus needed. Natasha found the whole thing very tedious and boring, whereas Pepper bounced merrily from shop to shop, holding up various baby-sized garments to show Natasha and making comments such as, "Natty, look at this! It's so adorable!" or "Oh my gosh, this is just too cute!" This resulted in much eye-rolling from Natasha.

One day, Steve was painting the walls of the small, unused room on their floor. This was to be the baby's room. He was just beginning to paint a teddy bear when he heard someone crying. He dashed out to the living room. There, he found Natasha curled up in a ball on the rug, cradling her abdomen and sobbing.

He dropped to his knees. "Nat, Nat, what is it? What happened?"

"I-I can't b-be a mother!" said Nat through racking sobs. "I c-can't do this, Steve!"

"Don't be silly," said Steve. Tears were flowing down his cheeks. It was awful seeing Nat like this, strong, tough Natasha.

"I'm going to destroy everything," she said. There was pure terror in her emerald eyes. "Because everyone I love dies, and that's how it's always been."

"Nat," said Steve gently. "Everything is going to be alright. It's going to be fine, trust me."

"No, it's not, Steve! I love you, and I know I'm going to love this kid, and I don't want anything to happen to either of you everyone else!" She was talking about her past, about the deaths that were all her fault…

She screamed, her heart pounding, her eyes flooded with tears. She was scared, petrified at the prospect of being a mother, responsible for the safety and wellbeing of another human being. A new target for her many enemies, a new vulnerability. Tears streamed down her face and she tasted the saltiness of her sorrow as they reached her lips. It was agony, knowing that she would soon be endangering her helpless son just by bringing him into the world and loving him. She felt like a monster for putting Steve and their child in danger. She was bringing this family down.

Natasha was inconsolable. Steve carried her into their room and laid her down on the bed. He lay next to her, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. She wept and wept until she wore herself out, and soon she was in a deep slumber.

**Step in my time machine and let's time jump a few more months! (Because I totally have a time machine…)**

Natasha was lying in bed reading a book, despite the fact that it was five o'clock in the evening. Suddenly, a terrible pain ran through her stomach, making her wince and clutch her belly. The pain had passed as soon as it had come, so she returned to her book. Several minutes later, the pain struck again. It went on like this for a while until Natasha finally realised what was happening.

The baby was coming.

"Steve!" she yelled, panicking. "_Steve!"_

He was there in an instant.

"The baby," she said, barely audibly as she groaned at the immense pain of the contractions.

Steve understood and immediately he scooped her up into his arms. But instead of descending to the ground floor of the tower, he ran up the stairs until he reached Pepper and Tony's door.

"Tony!" he shouted, hammering on the door with his fist. "Tony, open the fucking door!"

Tony appeared in the doorway, at first slightly baffled, as Steve rarely swore. But then he saw Natasha in his arms practically growling in pain, and, putting two and two together, he realised wordlessly what was needed of him.

Soon they were in one of Tony's many cars, racing off towards the hospital. In the back, Natasha gritted her teeth and breathed heavily, squeezing Steve's hand.

They reached the hospital. Steve leaped out of the car with Nat in his arms and rushed inside. Natasha was hurried to a bed. Steve stayed by her side, offering words of encouragement while she stopped the circulation in his hand.

By around eight o'clock, they had a son. Natasha held him to her chest and kissed his forehead gently. She was a mother, and she knew, then, that everything was going to be okay.

A midwife bathed the baby. Steve held him while Natasha slept, worn out from the exhausting evening she had experienced. He gazed down at the child, who, like his mother, was fast asleep. Steve took in every little feature. He saw a patch of red hair on the crown of his son's head and smiled, glancing at Natasha's own red locks.

When Natasha woke, the couple set about deciding on a name. Natasha preferred David, but Steve was veering towards Jack. It didn't look like the baby was ever going to be named, when Natasha suggested something that she knew Steve would love.

"What about James?"

Steve fell silent, and there was sorrow in his blue eyes as old memories resurfaced. Then a smile broke out on his face.

"Yes," he said. "It's perfect." He gave Natasha a quick kiss.

"So," said Natasha. "James Romanoff Rogers?"

"James Romanoff Rogers," said Steve in confirmation.

**Yay! Okay, I don't know about you guys, but I find that chapter really emotional. I loved writing it, even though I probably got some of my facts wrong, but hey, I've never given birth, so…**

**And before I suffer death-by-readers, I'm so, so sorry for not updating. I just could not get time to type anything, seriously, I've felt awful for the past week or so.**

**Review, follow, favourite, blah, blah, blah.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Time jump: James is now five years old.**

_**Chapter 9**_

It was early in the morning when the young boy clambered into his parents' bed.

"Mom?" he said. "Dad?"

"Hey, buddy," said Steve groggily with a tired smile.

"Hi, Daddy!" said James, loudly.

Steve pressed a finger to his lips, pointing to the boy's slumbering mother with another. Natasha was _not _a morning person.

James nodded, understanding his father's simple gesture.

"You hungry?" Steve asked his son.

James nodded again, and Steve brought him to the kitchen.

"Toast?" he suggested.

"Yep," said James, gulping down the orange juice Steve had poured for him.

Once breakfast was eaten, Steve took James back to their floor. Natasha was awake, sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, texting Jane.

"Hi, Mom!" said James, brightly.

Natasha set down her StarkPhone to envelope her son in a hug.

"Hey, mister!" she said, tickling him.

"Mommy, stop!" shrieked James in peals of laughter, attempting to push his mother's hands away.

She relented, finally. Steve sat next to her and pulled their son onto his lap.

"Can Zoe come down and play?" James asked his parents, his eyes wide and innocent.

"Maybe later," replied Steve. "It's too early right now."

Zoe Stark was Tony and Pepper's daughter. She was just over a year younger than James, and the two were very close.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Jennifer Barton entered the living room. She was the adopted daughter of Clint, and had been for roughly three years. She was fourteen, and had been in many homes before Clint had adopted her.

"Dad got a call, they need you in, too," she said urgently to the redheaded spy sitting across the room.

"Okay, thanks, Jennifer," said Natasha, rising from her seat. Jennifer left, and while Natasha was suiting up, Steve told James stories, stories about all of the Avengers' shenanigans over the years. Well, at least the ones suitable for young ears.

From their bedroom, Natasha could hear him recounting each tale in such a way that she wasn't capable of. Steve had a way with storytelling. They both loved hearing James laugh at the funny parts, seeing the empathy their son always showed when Steve was telling a story. Steve knew how to create a picture with words.

Natasha left with Clint in her new, sleek, black car. They travelled in silence. There was a ruthless killer moving across the country. This man, Karl Dean, was credited with fifty-seven murders in one week. S.H.I.E.L.D. were able to track him to a nearby airport. He was to board a plane for France, where this purge would almost certainly continue across Europe. Natasha and Clint were to intercept Dean before he could kill any more innocent people.

They reached the airport and through their earpieces they were briefed on Dean's appearance. The agents speaking through the earpieces informed them that he was on their left, standing in the short queue at the smoothie bar.

"We have him in our sights," mumbled Natasha.

She and Clint queued behind Dean, assessing him, trying to decide on their approach.

Perhaps he recognised them from the media coverage of the Battle of New York, but suddenly Karl Dean sprang into action. Natasha kicked him hard, her enhanced reflexes too fast for her opponent. Clint extracted his foldable bow and quiver of arrows from inside of his jacket where it had been stowed away. He slung the quiver over his shoulder and punched Dean on the jaw. The crowd scattered.

Natasha fought Dean skilfully, catching his wrists when he tried to throw a few punches of his own. Clint eyed their surroundings. Living up to his alias, he immediately spotted a group of people walking briskly towards them. All of them were dressed in black and had serious expressions on their faces. They began to run, drawing guns, and Clint could tell that they were affiliated with Dean. He shot, each arrow hitting home. The black-clad people crumpled to the floor, one by one, their weapons skidding across the polished tiles.

Meanwhile, Natasha had managed to knock Dean unconscious, and she was communicating with S.H.I.E.L.D. through her earpiece. They waited, and soon enough, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents filed into the area. They were Level 3, maybe 4. They lifted Dean and whisked him off onto the small aircraft awaiting them.

With their mission completed, the journey home was filled with chatter and laughter.

"How's James?" Clint asked his best friend.

"Oh, he's fine," she replied. "A bit nervous about starting school, but that's normal. How about Jennifer?"

"Yeah, okay, I suppose," Clint responded, rather vaguely. "She, uh, she's got a boyfriend." He sighed. "Nat, what the hell do I do?"

Natasha laughed. "Um, how the heck would I know? I didn't really have much of a childhood!"

Clint squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Natasha nudged him.

"Hey, you know that was only a joke, right?" she said softly. "I didn't mean to make you feel awkward, or anything."

There was a pause.

"Well, first off," Natasha said, in an attempt to lighten things up. "What's the guy like? What's his name?"

"Daniel," said Clint. "He seems nice, to be fair to the guy."

"So, just let them be," said Natasha. "You know Jennifer's smart enough to know when to draw the line."

"Okay, then," said Clint, nodding. "Thanks, Nat."

When Natasha came home, James ran to her for a hug. She lifted him up, kissing his forehead.

"Hey, mister," she said. "What did you and Daddy get up to today?"

"I got a new backpack for school!" said the little boy, clearly excited to show his mother his new property.

"Ooh, show me!" Natasha said, faking excitement for James.

He rushed off to his room, returning shortly carrying an empty green backpack patterned with orange monsters. He slung it onto his back, showing it off proudly and beaming at his parents.

Natasha gasped to please her son.

"Oh, wow!" she said. "Very cool!"

The boy grinned and took the bag off of his back to exhibit the various pockets and pouches it possessed. He was clearly looking forward to beginning school.

They ate dinner early. Zoe and James sat beside each other and giggled constantly throughout the meal. Jennifer was bombarded with questions about Daniel, and after Tony had had his say, he face was scarlet.

When dinner was over, Natasha, Steve and James headed back downstairs to their own floor. They brought Zoe with them and she and James lay on their bellies on the floor colouring with thick, chubby crayons.

Steve and Nat watched over them from the couch. Nat watched TV and Steve read a book that he and Bucky had both loved as children. Nostalgia washed over him repeatedly, and eventually he had to stop reading. He was on the brink of tears. Natasha looked over at him and she could see how watery his eyes were. She put her arm around him.

"What is it, Steve?" she said, quietly, so as not to worry the two children.

"No, no, it's nothing," said Steve. Natasha could tell that he wanted her to drop the matter, so she asked no more, but kept her arm around him. Her head drooped onto one of his broad shoulders and they sat like that for a while, their eyes closed. It was peaceful until James announced that he was bored of colouring. Zoe followed suit and soon they were both begging to go out for ice cream.

"I'll take them," said Natasha, wearily.

"You sure? Because I can take them if you want to stay here."

"No, it's okay."

While the kids were donning their shoes, Natasha said, "Jarvis, send a message to Pepper, please. Tell her that I'm taking Zoe and James out for ice cream."

"Yes, Ms Romanoff," came the polite English voice. "Message sent."

"Alright, then!" said Natasha cheerily. "You ready? Let's go!"

And she left with James and Zoe.

Steve decided to pay Bruce a visit. Bruce, at first, had refused to live in the tower with the others, in case he lost control. But, with a little persuasion, he agreed to move in with the rest of the team. Bruce lived in the topmost floor of the tower. Steve stepped into the elevator, which was empty.

He knocked on Bruce's door. He heard a quiet, "Come in!" from Bruce and so he entered. Bruce's floor looked very different from Steve and Nat's. There was scientific equipment everywhere, as always, and a lot of stress balls resided on coffee tables and sideboards. The bookshelves were filled with titles such as _Dealing with Stress _and _The Antidote to Anger_. Bruce was tampering with some small piece of equipment when Steve said, "Hey, Bruce."

"Oh, hi," said the scientist, peeling his eyes away from the machine. "You okay?" He was a little confused by Steve's presence.

"Yeah, I just thought I'd visit you," said Steve. "Are you busy? I can come back later, if you want."

"No, no, it's fine," said Bruce. "I can multitask."

He turned quickly, pressed a few buttons and faced Steve again.

"So," he said. "How've you been?"

"Good, how about you?"

"Yeah, I suppose I've been doing alright," replied Bruce, nonchalantly. Then, he said, "Isn't James starting school in September?"

"Yeah! I can't believe it!" Steve exclaimed.

"Jeez, I still remember him toddling about the tower in diapers!" said Bruce, marvelling at how quickly the years had passed.

"A few of his friends from preschool are going to be in his class, so he should settle in okay. At least he'll know someone there," said Steve.

Bruce smiled. It was great to see Steve so happy, to hear him talk about his child. For a long time, Steve had been very lonely, and he had hated it. Bruce, too, was rather lonely, but he enjoyed the solitude. Steve, however, had desperately needed a close companion, and now he had a family. It was more than he could have asked for.

"Hey, uh, Bruce?" said Steve, a little quieter.

"Yeah?"

"Well, uh… I'm going to propose to Natasha."

Bruce was taken aback at this statement.

"That's great!" he said. "When do you think you're going to do it?"

"Tomorrow, I think."

"Well, good luck," said Bruce kindly. "And thanks for trusting me enough to tell me. I won't say a word, I swear."

Steve smiled. "Thank you." Bruce was a good guy, trustworthy, friendly.

"Have you got a ring?"

Steve nodded, extracting the small box containing said article from his pocket.

"Could I hide it here for tonight? I'm afraid that Nat's going to find it."

"Yeah, sure."

Steve handed the box to Bruce, who took it and placed it high on a shelf.

"Don't worry about- Oh, crap!"

Around the room, machines were beeping loudly, making an awful din. Bruce sped to each piece of equipment, stabbing buttons to silence them before he became too stressed out by the incessant noise.

"Maybe I can't multitask!" he joked.

**Okay, so I threw in some action, there, what did you think of it? It's really difficult to write those kind of scenes, at least I find it to be. And Steve's going to propose, yay! **_**And **_**a nice, long chapter for you, too, seeing as I probably won't get around to updating for another week or two. **

**In case you were wondering:**

**There's a dining floor, were the kitchen and dining room are.**

**Each Avenger/each family has their own floor, where they have their bedrooms, bathroom and living room.**

**The underground floor is a garage and there's a kind of ramp out of that which leads outside on ground level.**

**Everything between is business and that kind of thing. (Stark Industries, laboratories for Bruce and also Jane and Erik when they stay, etc.)**

**And there's also that lounge/bar place in the movies, but I don't think I'll ever use that. Still, keep it in mind though, just in case.**

**So now all that's cleared up, au revoir! Review, follow, favourite, you know the drill. Ciao!**


End file.
